International Spy Museum
82% goes to programs $40 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
International Spy Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, District of Columbia, registered in 2014, with $31,785,524 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 82% of spending to programs.
700 Lenfant Plz Sw, Washington, DC, 20024 EIN 46-1479450 Since 2014
Revenue (FY2024)
$31.8M
▲ 9.4% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2024)
$29.4M
Net assets
$98.7M
Employees
244
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating82% to programs · $40 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For International Spy Museum: 82% to programs · $40 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating40 mo reserves · +7% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For International Spy Museum: 40 mo reserves · +7% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For International Spy Museum: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For International Spy Museum: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The international spy museum creates compelling exhibitions and other learning experiences that shed light on the shadow world of espionage and intelligence, educating and challenging each of us to engage critically with the complex world around us.
What they do
"access to spy: opening our doors to communities facing barriers is a series of programs for people with physical, cognitive, and financial challenges. in 2024 the museum supported these communities through both onsite and virtual programming. 330 individuals participated in programming for the autism community, and 223 adults with memory care issues and their caregivers were reached through 15 programs. in addition, 51 free programs for adults served 7,668 attendees from the united states and 30 countries. our popular podcast, "spycast" delivered 51 programs and was downloaded 1.3 million times. "
"student workshops & resources: the international spy museum offers a wide variety of workshops (onsite and virtual) & downloadable resources that encourage active learning and meet national curriculum and common core standards. designed for grades 3 - 12, subjects range from history & government to science & technology and address skill building in the areas of critical & creative thinking, problem solving, and teamwork. since 2011, more than 94,000 students and educators have attended workshops. in 2024 the museum taught 280 workshops to 7,336 students around the world: 145 were on-site workshops, and 135 were provided virtually via our distance learning program. 635 teachers were provided professional development both onsite and virtually "
Contact & location
- Address
- 700 Lenfant Plz Sw, Washington, DC, 20024
- City
- Washington
- State
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Museums
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $59.2M (FY2016) to $31.8M (FY2024) across 9 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $46.9MNet assets $98.7M
Operating margin
7.5%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$145.6M
Total liabilities
$46.9M
Net assets
$98.7M
Salaries & benefits
$13.9M
47% of expenses
Board members
29
29 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $31,785,524▲9.4% | $29,407,042▲12.4% | $98,659,434▲4.0% | $145,576,533▲2.2% | 990 |
| 2023 | $29,044,242 | $26,159,920▲8.4% | $94,907,253▲3.2% | $142,392,264▲1.7% | 990 |
| 2022 | $29,040,696▲31.2% | $24,129,858▲16.4% | $91,974,370▲15.8% | $139,993,048▲0.3% | 990 |
| 2021 | $22,140,962▲283% | $20,725,435▲10.4% | $79,424,585▲5.5% | $139,621,736▲1.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $5,784,668▼59.9% | $18,781,449▼10.3% | $75,296,808▼18.2% | $137,957,100▼6.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $14,437,308▼53.2% | $20,938,447▲22.6% | $91,998,654▼9.9% | $147,754,244▲4.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $30,877,588▼49.6% | $17,079,483▲3.9% | $102,050,851▲16.9% | $140,840,748▲41.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $61,235,031▲3.5% | $16,437,586▲55.4% | $87,262,741▲125% | $99,747,495▲128% | 990 |
| 2016 | $59,177,740 | $10,576,662 | $38,716,209 | $43,795,413 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Tamara Christian — $472,240 (1.61% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamara Christian | President / Coo | 40 | $472,240 |
| Christopher Costa | Executive Director | 40 | $380,833 |
| Melissa Ricks | Vp - People & Culture | 40 | $209,533 |
| Kathryn Mannix | Vp - Exhibits & Collections | 40 | $203,657 |
| Michael Kruelle | Vp - Operations | 40 | $201,358 |
| Timothy Miller | Vp - Technology & Faciliti | 40 | $200,142 |
| Mary Henderson | Secretary | 40 | $72,868 |
| Adrian Martinez | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Alonzo Fulgham | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Alphonso Trimble | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Damon Walsh | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Diane Frankel | Outgoing Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Gerald Hamilton | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Grant Verstandig | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| H Keith Melton | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| James Blanchard | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| James Brady | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| James Gomez | Ceo & Vice Chair | 5 | — |
| Jeremy Bash | Board of Director | 2 | — |
| Jill Singer | Board of Director | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| David Hess DBA Hess Industries LLC | Sculpture Design and Creation | $210,000 |
| Potomac Creek Associates LLC | Common Area Maintenance Charge | $119,744 |
Grants received · $48.4M total
31 grants to International Spy Museum totaling $48.4M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $38,649 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $618,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $47,715 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2023 | $15,625 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2022 | $1,759,500 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2022 | $50,313 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2022 | $14,000 |
| United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey | Donor designation | 2022 | $7,438 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2021 | $646,200 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2021 | $646,200 |
| Network For Good Inc | Unrestricted | 2021 | $29,644 |
| The Community Fdn of Middle Tn Inc | To help the museum. | 2021 | $25,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Arts, culture & humanities | 2021 | $11,150 |
| Network For Good Inc | Unrestricted | 2020 | $85,661 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2020 | $61,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is International Spy Museum a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. International Spy Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 46-1479450, based in Washington, District of Columbia. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is International Spy Museum's EIN?
- International Spy Museum's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 46-1479450.
- How much revenue does International Spy Museum report?
- International Spy Museum reported $31,785,524 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of International Spy Museum's spending goes to programs?
- International Spy Museum spends about 82% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does International Spy Museum have?
- CharityIndex grades International Spy Museum A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does International Spy Museum's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on International Spy Museum's latest Form 990 is $472,240, paid to Tamara Christian (President / Coo).
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Data for International Spy Museum (EIN 46-1479450) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.